Florida Marlins top prospect, Mike Stanton, received a lot of attention after blasting 39 Home Runs two years ago. However, he struggled to hit AA pitching last year, as he sported a .231 BA during his 79 game AA stint. Just how good was his 2008 season?
According to News & Record, Stanton was the first player in the amateur draft era to finish a pro season at the age of 18 and with 33 or more long balls. He finished with 39 long balls.
- Power. Stanton’s 48 XBH% is phenomenal. That’s better than the likes of Mark Reynolds, Jay Bruce and Ryan Howard. Power is definitely not lacking.
Grade: A+ - Contact. His pitiful batter’s eye ratio (BB/K) of 0.42 suggests that he strikes out way too much to ever hit for a high average.
Grade: D - Speed. His current Speed Score is lower than Billy Butler’s, enough said. Yet, he was initially recruited by USC as a WR out of High School, so you have to think the speed potential is there.
Grade: C- - Approach. Stanton looked absolutely stumped at AA Jacksonville. His swing is hit or or miss, and that’s the way it will always be. There are many successful fantasy players that have a similar swing.
Grade: B- - Opportunity. The Marlins do not want to rush Stanton before he is ready. At the same time, there is nobody standing in his way. When he is ready he should get every opportunity to hit 4th or 5th for the big-league club.
Grade: A - Hype. The scouts love Stanton. Being recognized while playing for a small-market club like Florida isn’t so easy. The scouts are usually right about these type of players.
Grade: A+ - Intangibles. Stanton is incredibly athletic, but suffered a stress fracture during Arizona Fall League. However, nothing from his past suggests that this will be reoccurring.
Grade: A
Overall Fantasy Prospect Rating: 59 out of 80
My Thoughts: A combination of Stanton’s swing type and his lack of plate discipline will always hold him back from being an elite fantasy baseball player. Think of him as a poor man’s Adam Dunn. In his prime he should be good for 90+ Runs, 30+ Home Runs and 90+ RBI’s. He has the potential to be a three category beast, while killing your Batting Average, and not providing any steals.
Comparable Players: Derrek Lee, Russell Branyan, Mark Reynolds
ETA: 2011
2011 Projections:
380 PA – 54 R – 17 HR – 59 RBI – 3 SB – .260 AVG
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